CALL FOR CHAPTER PROPOSALS
Proposal Submission Deadline: January 31, 2013
A book edited by Dr. Fawzy Soliman (University of Technology, Sydney)
To be published by IGI Global: http://bit.ly/1233frn
Introduction
Many organisations are opting for innovation as means of gaining and/or sustaining competitive advantages. Furthermore, recent research indicates that innovativeness can be made in one or all of the three critical business areas; namely product innovation, service innovation and management system innovations. In addition, advances in computing technologies have presented the management of firms with additional challenges as well as furtherer opportunities to enhance their competitive advantages. Some of those opportunities arise from the deployment of modern systems that encompass the most three important managerial functions in modern firms; namely ERP (Enterprise Resources Planning systems), Customers Relationship Management (CRM) and e-Commerce. The current technology available in Cloud Systems appears to satisfy the needs for most modern firms for managing the transfer of knowledge for ERP, CRM and e-commerce simultaneously.
However, there is little known about implementation best practices, and most importantly, the applicability of suitable new business models that favour certain deployment a cloud system over another in different applications and settings. Given that cloud systems are very costly to implement and maintain, it would be almost imperative that firms find and search for new suitable business models and implementation practices that ensure cost effectiveness of their investment.
Although the literature is full of articles that deal with different methods for implementations of Information technology (IT) and Information system (IS), there is little attention given to the implementation of could systems and to the management and deployments of the cloud systems. Equally true is the fact that little attention has been given to determining which cloud systems’ configuration may be assessed as suitable or unsuitable for a given organisational setting. Furthermore, little is known about how to overcome or remedy such unsuitability for a given business model.
For example, one of the most critical activities for the implementation of a suitable cloud system in any firm is the identification of the characteristics of the cloud system and match it with the required or desired features in that firm. In other words a method of assessment and evaluation of cloud systems’ deployment would be necessary. The current literature has no references to any of these tools or techniques. Failing to identify those characteristics of the cloud system could expose the firms to unnecessary risks that should have to be addressed at early stages implementation processes.
The book “Business Transformation and Sustainability through Cloud System Implementation” will present to the reader that the deployment of cloud system may be an evolutionary process, where some critical activities may be needed to identify and ensure that the firm can proceed in the implementation with care by avoiding or addressing two types of deployment defects; namely defects created by mismatch between cloud system characteristics and business models (Cloud-Business Gaps) and also defects due to mismatches between cloud system implementation requirements and available organisational resources for implementation (Cloud-Resources Gaps).
Objective of the Book
The main objective of the book is to alert the management of firms to the risks that they could face if the cloud system implementation process is not carefully managed and appropriately selected and supported. The book contents will be able to assist firms with ensuring that their cloud system activities are so positioned to assist them achieving their competitive advantages. The book is unique in cloud systems and would be required to assist firms to avoid exposing themselves to unnecessary risks should they not ensure that appropriate cloud systems’ implementation, selection and maintenance processes have taken place.
Target Audience
The target audience of this book will be firm management professionals and researchers working in the field of management, human resources management, information and knowledge management in various disciplines, e.g. library, information and communication sciences, administrative sciences and management, education, adult education, sociology, computer science, and information technology. Moreover, the book will provide insights and support executives concerned with the management of expertise, innovation, knowledge, human resources management, information and organizational development in different types of work communities and environments.
Recommended topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
· Business Models to suit Cloud System implementation in different Innovative firms’ Structures
· Strategies for deployment of Cloud System in Innovative firms to management of the knowledge transfer
· Alignment of Cloud Systems with the Innovative firms Organizational Goals
· Risk Management and Volatility in Innovative firms and knowledge transfer Strategies
· The Innovative firms Data burden –Volume, Dimensionality and Visibility Challenges especially in knowledge transfer using Cloud Systems
· Succeeding in volatile knowledge and Innovation Markets
· Models for the Implementation of Cloud System Strategies in Innovative firms
· Evaluation of Cloud System success factors
· Modelling the mismatch between Cloud and business characteristics (Cloud-Business Gaps)
· Identification of the resources shortcomings for Cloud Systems Implementation (Cloud-Resources Gaps)
· Organisational expectations from Cloud System implementation
· Business Models for Cloud Systems to suit different firm structures
· The data attributes that drive the need for Cloud Systems
· A firms readiness for the implementation of the Cloud System
· The types of infrastructure and processes that would be needed for implementation of Cloud System
· How to align the Cloud System’s goals with the strategic objectives of the firm
· Auditing skills and competencies required for successful implementation of the Cloud System
· Evaluating the Cloud System provider
· Assessing the success of the implementation of the Cloud System project
· How to measure return on the investment in the Cloud System implementation
· Types of leaderships that are most effective in the implementation of the Cloud System
· Assessing the risk and volatility in firms’ integration using Cloud System
· Measuring the robustness of the Cloud System
· The security attributes that would be needed for a reliable Cloud System implementation
· Monitoring the Cloud System performance
· The critical success factors necessary for development and implementation of the Cloud System
· The key factors for development and upgrading cycles of the Cloud System
· Drawing a Service Level Agreement with the Cloud System provider
· Assessing the appropriate cloud system’s resources required for a given supply chain setting
· Identifying the firm’s key implementation of resources need for deployment of the Cloud System
· Finding a remedy for the shortages (Cloud-Resources Gaps) in the resources required for Cloud Systems implementation
· Could the choice of the Cloud System (ERP-CRM, Ecommerce) solution reduce the cost of corporate IT function?
· Could the choice of the Cloud System improve business-IT alignment?
· Would the use of an external provider (i.e. outsourcing the Cloud System solution) rather than running in-house result in a responsible and reliable functioning of the organization’s computing resources?
· Could the on-demand Cloud System complement the already existing installed investments?
· The essential factors for the success of Cloud System implementation
· The impact of Cloud System on the IT corporate governance
· The core parameters for the organization’s business systems that could be managed with Cloud System‘s implementation to ensure the implementation achieves their business goals
· Base-line requirements that Cloud System provider must meet
· How firms could adapt to the new Cloud System solution
· The key parameters for evaluating the Cloud System implementation
Submission Procedure
Researchers and practitioners are invited to submit on or before January 31, 2013, a 2-3 page chapter proposal clearly explaining the mission and concerns of his or her proposed chapter. Authors of accepted proposals will be notified by February 28, 2013 about the status of their proposals and sent chapter guidelines. Full chapters are expected to be submitted by May 30, 2013. All submitted chapters will be reviewed on a double-blind review basis. Contributors may also be requested to serve as reviewers for this project.
Publisher
This book is scheduled to be published by IGI Global (formerly Idea Group Inc.), publisher of the “Information Science Reference” (formerly Idea Group Reference), “Medical Information Science Reference,” “Business Science Reference,” and “Engineering Science Reference” imprints. For additional information regarding the publisher, please visit www.igi-global.com. This publication is anticipated to be released in 2014.
Important Dates
January 31, 2013: Chapter Proposal Submission Deadline
February 28, 2013: Notification of Acceptance
May 30, 2013: Full Chapter Submission
July 30, 2013: Review Results Returned
September 30, 2013: Final Chapter Submission
October 31, 2013: Final Deadline
Editorial Advisory Board Members:
Professor Piet Kommers, The Netherlands.
Professor Fernando Moreira, Portugal.
Professor Stewart Clegg, UTS Business School, Australia.
Professor Steven Fox, University of London, UK.
Professor Mohamed Youssef, Dean of Business, Arab Open University, Kuwait.
Professor Mosad Zineldin, Linnaeus University-Sweden
Professor Samuel Ho, Hong Kong Buddhist College.
Professor Maria Manuela Cruz-Cunha, Portugal.
Professor Fernando Almeida, Portugal.
Professor Hesham Magd, Oman.
Dr Hassan Akpolat, Australia.
Inquiries and submissions can be forwarded electronically (Word document) or by mail to:
Dr. Fawzy Soliman
Management Discipline Group
UTS Business School
University of Technology, Sydney,
PO Box 123, Broadway, Sydney, NSW, 2007, Australia
Tel.: +612 9514 3611 • Fax: +612 9514 3602 • GSM: +61417 77 7708
E-mail: fawzy.soliman@uts.edu.au